Typical personal emergency response systems consist of a pendant worn by a user who may initiate an emergency call by actuating a button on the pendant, thereby causing a signal to be transmitted to a dedicated base station located in the user's home. In response, the base station dials an emergency call center (call monitoring center) via a telephone line and the user can talk to an attendant via a speaker-phone built into the base station or pendant. In response to a request therefor by the user, or in response to failure of the user to respond to inquiries from call center personnel, emergency assistance is dispatched by the call center to the user's location.
What is needed and provided by the present invention are personal emergency response systems with expanded life-saving capabilities.